Yadav fit, MI lose extra foreigner slot

Barely a week after Hindustan Times reported that Surya Kumar Yadav, who was replaced by the Mumbai Indians citing injury and were allowed an extra fifth foreign player in their eleven for the Champions League Twenty20, had proved his fitness by playing in a Mumbai Cricket Association U-22 selection trial tie, the promising batsman was re-inducted into the IPL team on the eve of their semifinal.

The CLT20 organisers confirmed the development on Thursday, a day ahead of the IPL side's clash against Somerset Sabres in Chennai.

League clarifies"Yadav had originally been replaced in the squad due to injury. However, given he has recovered and Mumbai has a shortage of Indian players in their squad, he is now permitted to return to the group," a CLT20 statement said.

On September 29, HT had reported that Yadav led the Dilip Vengsarkar XI in the U-22 selection trials. And the talented batsman scored a whirlwind 191, which ended all doubts on whether his injured finger had healed or not.

Yadav's exclusion from the MI squad despite being fit had raised doubts whether the team intentionally certified him unfit to get an undue advantage of including an extra overseas player. On September 23, HT had pointed out how rules are being tweaked to suit the Indian teams in CLT20.

However, after re-inducting Yadav into the squad, the CLT20 technical committee had no option but to remove the special concession given to MI.

"The CLT20 Technical Committee has also withdrawn the concession given to the Mumbai Indians to play five foreign players in their squad, which was based on there being eight injured Indian players," the statement added. This means the Mumbai Indians will be forced to make at least one change to their team that featured against New South Wales Blues in their last league outing.

Mumbai Indians, in their statement on Friday, made no mention why it took more than a week for them to appeal to the technical committee.

"We are committed to play the attractive Mumbai Indians brand of cricket which has given joy to millions of fans across the globe," a MI statement said.